STEPS FOR GETTING DENTAL IMPLANTS

Patients will be given all the necessary information regarding the whole dental implants treatment during the initial, preparation stage; this stage helps patients get ready with their expectations about the whole procedure. The initial visit would involve getting the patient's complete medical history, so the patient's overall health status can be taken into consideration even before the treatment can be planned. A thorough oral examination will also be done to assess the patient's needs for dental implants; this oral examination may or may not include dental X-rays.

Initial evaluation and planning will be done after getting the patient's medical history, and after the oral examinations have been completed. In the initial evaluation and planning stage, the dental specialist will discuss the treatment plan with the patient, and will answer any questions and concerns the patient may have regarding the whole treatment. This is the stage when the patient will start to have a concrete picture of what the process will entail, and what can be expected before, during and after the procedure.

After the initial evaluation and planning stage, finance options will then be discussed to better prepare the patient for the expenses that the treatment procedure will involve. The dentist or implant specialist will provide a detailed explanation of the expenses to help the patient understand what every component and phase of the treatment procedure costs. Payment options will also be discussed, to give the patient a chance to choose the finance option that best suits his needs and concerns.

The placement of the dental implants will follow the stages of initial evaluation/planning and discussion of finance options. The procedure will follow the treatment process plan that was previously discussed, to address the specific needs of the patient. After they have been successfully placed, a setting-in stage (ranging from four to eight months) will follow, to give the implants enough time to integrate with the surrounding bone tissue. During the setting-in stage, the patient may be asked to visit the dental specialist for follow-up review appointments to ensure that the implant is setting in properly.

Once they have been given the time to fully integrate into/with the surrounding tissues (after anywhere from four to eight months), prosthetic teeth (such as crowns, bridges or dentures) can then be fitted and attached to the implant. The prosthetic teeth (or tooth) will replace the form and function of missing teeth, and will be anchored in a stable way to the dental implants. A trial phase will enable the patient to try using the prosthetic teeth, to ensure that the implants are working perfectly.

Regular maintenance appointments and progress reviews are necessary to ensure that the dental implants will continue to work properly; the regular visits to the dental specialist will also help in the prevention of any problems that may arise from using them regularly. Any upgrading work that needs to be done can be determined as well during the regular maintenance appointments with the dental specialist, to ensure the optimal use of the dental implants.